Names in the news

James L. Blevins, a former professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Seminary, died July 24 in Louisville, Ky., after a long-term illness. He was 67.

Blevins was on Southern Seminary’s faculty from 1976 until 1999, when a severe case of diabetes forced him to take an early medical retirement. He was a professor of religion at Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, N.C., from 1969-76.

Blevins was widely published on the Book of Revelation, including his 1984 book Revelation as Drama.

A native of Hot Coal, W.Va., Blevins earned a Ph.D. from Southern Seminary and held degrees from Duke University, Eastern Seminary in Philadelphia and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.

Gary Pearson, a faculty member at Golden Gate Seminary, died from cancer on June 29 at the age of 62.

He had taken disability leave in March and had relocated with his family to Missouri for treatment.

Pearson served as director of theological field education and professor of ministry at the seminary for 13 years. He also was serving as Golden Hills Baptist Association’s director of missions.

Pearson held doctor of ministry and master of divinity degrees from Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., and a bachelor of arts from Southwest Missouri State University.

Thurmon E. Bryant, a longtime missionary to Brazil and a former senior administrator of the International Mission Board, died July 27 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was 74.

A native of Claud, Okla., Bryant and his wife, the former Doris Morris of Sudan, Texas, were appointed by the IMB in 1958. He served for 17 years as a field missionary in Brazil and almost 20 years on the mission board’s staff.

Bryant was a graduate of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth.